Air-cleaner for air-brake systems.



No. 853,137. 4 PATENTED MAYW7, 1907.

R. S. WALLACE. AIR CLEANER FOR AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 3. 1906.

3 vwentoz 905/00 L5: (Va/lace UNTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

BOSTON S. WALLACE, @F BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

[Al-CLEANER FUR AER=BRAKE SYSTEMS Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 7, 1907,

Application filed November 3, 1906. Serial No. 341,933.

citizen of the United States of America, residing at Avondale Station, Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invented new and useful Improvements in Air-Cleaners for Air-Brake Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to air cleaners for air brake systems and one of the principal objects of the same is to provide simple and efficient means for feeding clean air to the brake cylinders of air brake systems to prevent the clogging of the triple valve and other valves in the system and to prevent the cutting of the packing in the air pump. Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the air to supply the train pipes is passed through a body of water before it enters the pump which communirates with the air bra e system.

Many accidents have happened on railways owing to the failure of the proper working of the air brake and these failures are in great part due to the fact that dust and cinders are drawn into the air brake system through the ordinary intake pipe. The dust and fine cinders oftentimes prevent the proper seating of the valves and also clog the various parts of the system and often cut the packing of the pump system. i

The principal object of my invention is to provide means for purifying the air before it is fed to the system, and thus overcoming the defects hereinbefore referred to.

The objects and advantages may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a locomotive showing my air purifier supported thereon. Fig. 2 is a side view and artial section of my invention on a larger sca e from that shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing for a more articular description of my invention, t 1e numeral 1 designates the running board of a locomotive and sup orted by brackets 2 from said running boar is a cylinder 3 providin a reservoir for water, 4 in the bottom of sair cylinder and an air chamber 5 in the upper portion thereof. The water may be supplied to the reservoir through a short pipe 6 which leads from the boiler supply pipe 7 connected to a suitable injector, the pipe 6 being provided wit-h a valve or cock 8 of suitable construction and the terminal end of said pipe 6 being connected to the reservoir below the water line, as at 9. A suitable gage cock 10 is located at a point in line with the water level in the reservoir to prevent the water line from extending above the point shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The air intake pipe 11 has its inlet end 12 terminating at a point near the bottom of the reservoir and the outer end of said pipe 11 is provided with an elbow 13 to which is connected a strainer 14 located considerably above the Water line in the reservoir. An air pipe 15, having its inner end terminating within the air reservoir 5, extends out through the end of the cylinder and connects with a suitable air pump 16 for supplying air to the brake system. A cleanin valve 17 is connected to the reservoir at the ottom thereof for letting out the water and collected dirt at suitable intervals.

The operation of my invention may be brieflydescribed as follows: Water is supplied to the reservoir by opening the cock 8 and forcing the feed Water leading to the boiler, throughpipe 7 until the Water 4 attains'a level on a line coincident with the gage cook 10, said cock being opened to permit the surplus water to escape. When the pump 16 is operated, a supply of air is drawn from the chamber 5 through the pipe 15. The air chamber 5 is supplied with clean fresh air through the strainerl i and pipe 11 into the body ofwater at a point near the bottom of the reservoir, the air being drawn through the water to the air chamber 5 and through the outlet pipe 15 by the suction of the pump 16. foreign matter are held within t e Water 4 and the air rises in bubbles to the surface and enters the air chamber 5 in an obvious manner.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention is of simple construction, can

be quickly attached to an ordinar locomotive for supplying clean air to the rake system, thus preventing air-failures by providing clean air for the valves and pump forming part of the s stem.

Having thus descri ed the invention, what I claim is:

1. An air cleaner for air brake systems comprising a cylindrical reservoir containing a body of water, an airchamber above the water line, an intake air pipe terminatin at a point below the water line and exten ing The dust and fine particles of above the I Water line" outside the reservoir, and provided with a screen at its intake end,

an outlet air pipe extending into the air chamber and connected to the pump for supplying air to thebrake system.

2. In a device of the character described, a combined Water and air reservoir, an air intake pipe communicating with the Water reservolr and terminating upon the outside thereof on a line above the water line, and an air outlet pipe terminating in the air reservoir and leading to a pump for supplying air to the brake system.

3. An air cleaner for railway brake systems comprising a combined Water and air reservoir, an intake pipe terminating below the Water line in the Water reservoir, and

havi an intake end extending above the v Water inc and provided With a screen, an air outlet pipe terminating Within the air reservoir and leading to a pump for supplying air to the brake system, a water ipe leading from the boiler supply pipe to t e water reservoir, and a clean-out valve communicating dis osed abovethe water line and provided wit a screen, an air outlet pipe terminating within the air reservoir and leading to, a 'ump, and a gage cock for maintaining a umorm water level in the water reservoir, sub- 35 stantially as described.

- ROSTON S. WALLACE.

Witnesses:

F. GPWITTE, L.C. MONTGOMERY. 

